Campaign '08 has begun, with John McCain and his team of aides starting to "make decisions" about a presidential run. McCain's 2000 effort was derailed by a smear campaign from the Bush team, who somehow managed to convince GOP primary voters that McCain's military record had been exaggerated. That's pretty amazing, considering McCain spent many years in a POW camp, while Bush showed up for a few days of National Guard training in the dangerous battlefields of east Texas. Bush/Rove used Vietnam veterans to smear McCain, even though they did not serve in the same unit as him. Those same vets were later used as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to smear John Kerry in '04.

Without having to face Karl "King of Smear" Rove in a campaign, I would definately say that McCain has the inside track for the White House. He'll likely face Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, and he has a huge advantage over both. Hillary Clinton is hated in red states, so she will have a hard time getting any of them to swing for her. Barack Obama is part black, and parts of the south and midwest are still stuck in the 19th century. You want proof of those strong words? How about David Duke or George Allen. Both got a significant number of votes, despite racist leanings.
ABC News: EXCLUSIVE: McCain Begins Preliminary White House Run